Dispensing apparatus for roll material.



G. T. JOHNSON.

DLSPENSING APPARATUS FOR ROLL MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. l9l5.

1,286,599. Patented Dec.3,1918.

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GEORGE '1. JOHNSON, or MELROSE, MAssAoHusE'rrs, AssIeNoE TO THE GEORGE 'r..

JOHNsON COMPANY, F B srON, MASSACHUSETTS, A conrOEA'rroN 0E MASSACHU- SETTS.-

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORG T. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,'residingat Melrose, in the county of Middlesex', State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dispensing Apparatus for Roll Material, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to apparatus of the general class designed. to enable short lengths to be taken from the outer end of a continuous strip or web that has been wound into a roll. More especially, it has relation to apparatus of those kinds which are constructed to check the revolution of thesupply-roll after 'it has revolved a predetermined distance in unwinding, so as, by the checking, to render a pull by the user upon the unwound portion of the socalled web efiective in causing the parting of the strip or web,-usually at a transverse line of weakness, whereby to detach a portion which has been unwound from the roll. Such apparatus has been proposed for use in dispensing or serving toilet paper and pa-' per toweling.

In the case of prior constructions em' ployed in practice, so far as known to me, the roll at every unwinding operation alrevolves to the same angular extent before being checked. From this it results that the lengths of material that are paid off from the roll at successive unwinding operations vary according to the varying diameter of the wound supply at the times of such operations. With a full roll, the latter being of its largest diameter and consequently having its largest peripheral measurement, the length of material paid off by the roll in revolving to a given angu lar extent in unwinding will be very much greater than thelength which will beipaid off when the wound mass has become-substantiallyexhausted sothat its diameter and peripheral measurement arev consequently its much smaller. T-his'lack of. uniformity in the lengths successively paid out in the case of an apparatus of one of the prior constructions is objectionable, because when a roll is of the usual commercial size and'has lines of weakness spaced at the usual distance apart, the length of material which is paid off therefrom at first by an unwinding operation is excessive, and may include two or- Specification of Letters Patent. Application file'd February 25,1915. Serial "No. 10,577.

DISPENSING APPARATUS on ROLL ATERIAL.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

more successivelines of weakness, resulting in the detaching of more than the intended length of strip material, whereas beforethe roll has become exhausted the length .paid off by an unwinding operation is shorter than is desired and the next line of weakness does not leave the wound mass. hen the line of weakness has not left the wound body of the roll, the detachment of the drawn-off portion is difficult and usually can be effected only by tearing the material across its width at some place short of the said line of Weakness.

A; general object'of the invention is to so improve the mode of operation of dispensing or serving apparatus for roll material as to obviate the paying-out of a needlesslyigreat I length of material at an unwinding operation while the roll is full or approximately full, and the paying-out of a deficient length as the roll approaches exhaustion. I aim to avoid,.when material having transverse lines of weakness at regular intervals apart is employed, the paying-out of the web past two or more successive lines of Weakness in the case of a full roll and the stopping short of paying-out to thefirst line of weakness as the roll approaches exhaustion. In other words,the object is to render the paying-out at successive deliveries substantially uniform in amount, unaffected by variations in the sizejof. the wound supply.

The invention provides an improved dispensing or serving apparatus in which the unwinding revolution of the roll produces atravelingj movement of the latter bodily,

ture of the invention is a Starting-position gage. operating to determine the starting position of'the roll throughthe contact of the periphery of'the wound supply therewith. The unwinding revolution. of the roll causes the latter to travel away from the saidstarting-position gage. The return movement of the roll following the delivery causes the periphery of the wound supply to bring up against such gage again. As the woundsupply decreases in diameter, the

I threaded internal ferrule return movement of the roll increases in extent, thereby varying the starting-position of the roll-axis, so that the bodily travel or traverse of the roll in unwinding is increased inextent by again at the starting end of the said travel or traverse. The increased extent of travel or traverse permits an increased extent of unwinding revolution of the roll before the travel or traverse during the unwinding operation is arrested.

The invention includes also a construction of the said apparatus by which twisting and cramping of the parts in operation, and interference with the free and easy action thereof, are obviated.

Other objects of the invention are to provide in improved manner 'for the connection of a roll of wound material with the rollsupport of a dispensing'fixture or apparatus of the general class aforesaid so as to cause them'to revolve in unison, and to provide an improved means for locking the roll-support and roll in Working relation. 'F or attaining the first of these objects, the invention comprises a dispensing fixture or apparatus having 'a roll-support and constructed to permit unwinding revolution'of said rollsupport, said roll-support adapted for engagement with the roll by an endwise screwing-on movement to a stop-limit by relative turning in the direction of the unwinding revolution produced by a pull upon the free end of the wound material. For attaining the second of the said objects, the invention includes an improved lock. I

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings in which latter,'

Figure l is a side elevation of a dispensing or erving apparatus containing the said embodiment. p

Fig. 2 is a view mainly in section on line 2, 2, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in section on line 3, 3, of Fig. 2.

Fig. t is a partly-sectional view insection showing the screw-threadedend-portion corresponding of the roll-support and-the end-portion of the roll-core. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same parts as Fig. 4, but representing them as separated from each other.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the screw- I apply to the roll- .c'ore. Y

"Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the end of the roll-core which is located at'the swinging end of the roll-support.

Having reference to the drawings, The apparatu or fixture shown therein has a supporting-frame or" bracket comprising a longitudinal backing-bar or plate 1 and side-arms 2, 2. The wound'roll 3 containing the supply ofxmaterial is mounted between the said side-arm's ina manner pro-' viding for the required bodily traveling movementof the roll. In this instance slots 4, 4, in the said side-arms receive axial extensions from theoppositeends of the roll. The slots permit the said traveling movement, and guide the roll as it travels. The

pinions are connected with the roll in such a manner that when the roll is caused to revolve by pulling upon the free end 3? of the strip the pinions revolve in unison with the roll, and as a result of the engagement of the pinions with the racks the revolution of the pinions causes them and the roll to travel along the racks. The traveling movement is arrested bystops 7, 7, with which the side-arms 2, 2, are furnished, arranged to act as presently will be explained, and the arrest of such movementoperates to arrest the delivery of the material from the roll.

because when the pinions are prevented from traveling along the racks the 'interengagement of the teeth of the racks and pinions prevents revolution of the pinions and roll. The continued pull upon the outer end 3 of the said material after further revolution has been prevented, aided by the shock incident to the sudden arrest of revolution and delivery, operates to tear the material across at a line of weakening that has passed off from the body of the wound mass.

The roll then travels reversely to starting position, where it remains in readiness for a second dispensing operation.

The starting-position gageis constituted in this instance by a cross-bar 8, that is attached by its opposite ends to the'side-arms 2, 2, and thereby supported in working position in proper relation with the startingends ofthe racks 6, 6. The peripheral surface of the wound material rests against the position. The radial'thickness of the wound material determines the starting position of the roll, and thereby determines the points inthe length of the racks at which the pinions 5, 5, will rest while the roll is in: the starting position. In proportion as the wound roll diminishes in diameter, the axis of'the roll will approach nearer to the starting-position gage,and the pinions will assume positions nearer the said starting-ends of the racks and at the same time farther from the stops 7, 7. Consequently the distance traveled by the roll-axis-before the said gage when the roll occupies its starting 1 nzserase traveling movement of the roll is arrested by the'stops, and the angular extent of the revolution of the pinions and roll in unwinding, wil1 increase in proportion as the diameter of the wound-roll decreases. In this manner, as, a result ofthe employment of the starting-position gage, and of permitting the pinions to'approach more closely toward the starting ends of the racks in proportion as the wound supply diminishes in diameter, the diminution in diameter is compensated for so that at all times until the wound supply has beencompletely unwound a sufficient length is permitted to unwind from the roll at each dispensing operation to present a line of weakening so as to I facilitate the detaching of the proper length for a single service, In other words, the

successive deliveries at successive dispensing operations are rendered substantially .iiniform in length and thereby the presentation of a line of weakening in proper-position to facilitate the detaching ofthe prede'terf mined length for a single service, at every operation,isinsured. l

The roll maybe caused variously to return to startingposition and coact with the starting-position'gage. Springs may be employed for the purpose, and the arrangement of the parts may vary. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention that is herein shown gravity is 'utilized, the said gagebeingpl-aced-bel ow 'theroll, the-*slots being upright, or substantially so, sothat when the roll is free todo so it gravitatesfdowir ward until its periphery rests against the ge. Theracks and pinionsare so arranged that when the free end 3? of the strip is pulled upon, the roll travels upwardasit delivers the material, untilits upward movement is arrested by the stops 7, 7 As soon as the materialis-ubroken or torn across so as to relieve the pull upon the portion reinaining upon the-roll, the 'roll sinks by gravity tothestarting position.

The starting-position gage 8 may be constructed, as shown, to make contact with the periphery of the wound roll 3 at and near the ends of the latter only, and not make contact with the intermediate portion of the length of the roll; The said gage is shown bent away from the said intermediate portion of the roll "so as to afford access to such portion. If the free end of the strip should happen to be locatedbetweentheroll-and the gage, instead of hanging down clear of the latter as in Figs. 1 'and 2, the clearance that is afforded by the said" construction of the gage gives convenient access to the said free end, so that'itmay be grasped to draw the material'fromithe roll.

The 'pinions 5,5, are fixed upon journals 9, 10, at the opposite ends of theroll-supporting means. Equal nrovlement of the said pinions. in traveling along .the racks, is;

insured, and thereby twisting and cramping cent the backing-bar 1. The swinging arms by being fixedly ends of a crossof the 11, 11, are joined together mounted upon the opposite shaft 12. The swinging movements said arms, are provided for by mounting the said shaft 12 in bearings in the opposite. fixed arms 2, 2:,with capacity to rock in the said bearings. ]The free extremities of the arms 11, 11, are slotted to receive the journals 9, 10. The slots 4, 4, in the fixed side. arms 2, 2, are concentric with the axis of the crossssha'ft 12 and so are also. the racks 6, 6, and hence theroll and its'pinions travel in curved paths. By means of the cross-shaft. 12-, and its arms 11, 11, the pinions .5, 5, are keptexactly opposite each other, and in engagement with corresponding portions of the respective racks. Thereby cramping and twisting are obviated and ease of move-. ment is insured. i ,The journals 9,10, and pinions 5, 5, are in this. instance connected with a roll-support upon which the roll 3 is mounted. The said roll-support comprises, mainly, opposite flanged heads 13 and 14, and a shaft or body-portion15;v Head 13 is connected with the journal 9 by a hinge-connection which. permits the said portion to be swungwrelative to the said journal to facilitate the application of the wound roll to the-roll-support, and the re moval of the roll-core 3 from the roll-sup port when the supply of material wound upon the said core hasbecome exhausted. The said hinge-connection is formed by a pair of lugs 13, 13, projecting from the outer end of the head 13 and receiving between them the inner end of the ournal 9, the said end being connected-with the said lugs by a. pivot-pin 13 The said head has a barrel-portion 13 which is adapted to enter intothe central opening-at one end of the core 3". The. barrel-portion13t has a central opening receiving one reduced end-portion of the shaft or body-portion 15; the said end-portion being fixed. therein by suitable fastening means; The opposite endportion of the shaft or body-portion 15 is reduced in diameter and has fitted and fastened upon it a cap 16, which is furnished with a central end-projection 18 forming a part of" the locking-means. The flanged head 14 is mounted upon the journal 10 with capacity to move lengthwise of the saidjournal, and is splined to the latter so as to prevent relative turning movement, as by means of a screw 17, Fig.2,having its reduced inner head and the shaftror bodyend entered into a groove 18 formed longitudinally in the journal 10. This construction compels the head 14 and the journal 10 and corresponding pinion to revolve in 5' unison, but permits the said head to be slipped outward alongthe journal far enough to withdraw its barrel-portion sufficiently to clear the adjacent end of a roll 3 which has been applied to the hinged por- 10 tion of the roll-support, as the latter is swung inward from its open position into its closed working position. When the said hinged portion and the roll have been swung inward into the latter position, the head 14 15 is moved inward along the journal 10so as to push its barrel-portion-14 into the central opening of the wound roll. With the head 14 is combined a locking member which engages with the projecting end-projection or pin 18 of, the cap 16 to lock the roll-supporting means in closed condition. This lockingmember comprises a plate 21 of spring material that extends diametrically.

. of the barrel-portion 14 of the said head, as

l 25 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The said spring crosses the central opening of such barrel portion into which the end-projection or pin 18 enters. It has a hole 21*, Fig. 3, to receive the pin 18 and is made fast at one end to the said barrel-portion at one side of the latter, its otherend being free. This latter endoccupies a slot 14 in theopposite side of the barrel-portion 14 Inorder that the spring and pin may engage with each other, the pin is formed with a reduced neck -leaving a head at the end of the pin, as

shown in Fig. 2, while the'spring occupies I an. obllque or lnclined posltlon, as shown in such figure, which causes the edge of the 40 hole next the free end of the spring to occupy the groove around the neck, so that so long as the spring occupies its normal oblique or inclined position the said edge, by its engagement with the head of the pin,

will prevent the flanged head 14 from being moved outward far enough to free the end of'theshaft 15. If, however, the free end of the spring be pressedoutward so as to cause the spring to assume a position at or approximately at right angles to the axis of the pin, theedge of the hole in the spring,

will clear the head of the pin, so that the flanged'head 14 maybe drawn completelyoutward. When the-wound roll 3 contains an ordinary pasteboard tubular core, as 3 one end of the latter will'cover the'slot 14 and conceal the free end of the spring-catch 21. However, after the wound supply has becomeunwound the core may be torn away sufficiently to give access to the spring,

which will'permit the unlocking tobe effected. Or the roll-core maybe made with a plurality of slots or notches 3, 3, at its end, as-in Fig. 7, one of which notches usually will aiford access to: the spring.

of the roll-core sufficiently,

E11dwise screwing-on of the wound roll upon the roll-support to a stop-limit, by

relative turning in the-direction of the unwinding revolution produced bya pull upon the free end of the wound material, is provided for by forming the roll-support so as to screw partway into the roll. To this end, the hinged flanged head 13 of the roll-support is formed with a coarse screw-thread at 13 next adjoining its flange, asshown best in Figs. 4 and 5, to screw into the portion of the roll-core 3 which fitsupon the barrel-portion 13. A corresponding screwthread may be provided upon the said portion of the roll-core. If the screw-thread 13 is sharp, it may bite into the material but preferably. I mold a proper thread in the roll-core, or in ashort metal tube, .22, which is inserted into the roll-core andfastened in place therein, as by rivets, engaging the material of with cars 22?, 22?, provided on the said tube 22, and, entering the materialof the rollcore. The outer end of the tube 22- is formed into an outturned flangewhich engages with the, corresponding end of the the inner sides of the sideearms :2, 2, adjustable stops may be employed in practice if deemed desirable. v I

I claim as my invention 1. A dispensingor serving apparatus in which the unwinding revolution of the roll produces atravelingmovement of'the latter bodily in a direction that is transverse with relation to the roll-axis, and constructed to arrest such traveling movement without con,

tact with the wound materialitself to provide for the detachment-of the portion'of material that has been unwound, and hav .ing astarting-position gage which determlnes the starting position of the. roll through the contact of the periphery of the wound supply 7 therewith. I

2. A dispensing or serving apparatus constructed to receive a wound roll, and having a gage which determinesthe starting position of the-roll through cooperation with the periphery of. the wound supply, means for producing traveling movement of the-roll away from the; 'said starting-position gage concurrently 'with'revolution of the roll in delivering the wound material, and means to arrest such traveling movement without contact with the wound material itself when the predetermined amount "of material has been unwound. 3. Adispensing or serving apparatus constructed to receivea wound roll, and having I a gage which determines the starting position ving the, end of of the roll through cooperation with the periphery of the wound supply, means for prothe revolution of-the roll produced by pullthe material ofi from the same, and meansto define the limit of such traveling movement, without contact with the wound material itselfi 4. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, a gage which controls the starting position of the roll by cooperating with the periphery of the wound supply,

means for producing traveling movement of the roll. away from the said starting-position gage through the unwinding revolution of the roll, and means cooperating with the roll-support to fix the limit of such movement away? from the starting-position gage.

5. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, a gage which controls the starting position of the roll by cooperating with the periphery of the wound supply, means cooperating with the opposite on s, respectively, of the roll-support for producing traveling movement of the roll away from the said starting-position gage through the unwinding revolution of the roll, and means cooperating with the roll-support to fix the limit of such movement away from the starting-position gage.

6. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, a gage which cooperates with-the periphery of the wound supply in determining the starting position of the roll, toothed gearing for producing. traveling movement of the roll away from the said starting-position gage concurrently with the paying-out revolution of the roll,,an.d stopping means cooperating with the roll-supp rt to fix th limit of the movement of the roll away from the starting-position gage.

7. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, a gage which cooperates with the periphery of the wound supply in determining the starting position of the roll, toothed gearing combined with the opposite ends, respectively, of said roll-support, for producing traveling movement of the roll away from the said-'starting-position gage concurrently with the paying-out revolution of the roll, and stopping means cooperating with the roll-support to'fix the limit of 1 he movement of the roll away from the starting-position gage.

8. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, a pinion operatively combined with said roll-support, a rack with which said pinion gears, a gage which cooperates with the periphery of the wound supply in determining the starting position of the said pinion relative to the length of the rack, and means defining a fixed limit for the traveling movement of the roll during the paying-out revolution of the roll.

9. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, pinions operatively combined with the opposite ends of the said rollsupport, racks with which the pinions respectively gear, a gage which cooperates with the periphery of the wound supply in determining the starting position of the said pinions relative to the length of the racks,

and means defining a fixed limit for the traveling movement of the roll during the paying-out revolution of the roll.

10. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, a gage controlling the starting position of the roll, constructed to makelcontact with the periphery of the wound roll at andnear an end of the latter, leaving the main portion of the length of the roll unobstructed, and means producing concurrent traveling movement and payingout' revolution of the roll.

11. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, a gage controlling the starting position of the roll, constructed to make contact with the periphery of the wound roll at and near the opposite ends of the latter, leaving the intermediate portion of the length of the roll clear and accessible, and means for producing concurrent traveling movement and paying-out revolu- .bined with said roll-support, a rack with which said pinion gears, means to permit the pinion, in the starting position of the roll, to a proach more closely to the starting end of t e rack in proportion as the wound supply diminishes in diameter, and means defining a fixed limit for the traveling movement of the roll during the paying-out revolution of the roll.

13. A dispensing or serving apparatus having a roll-support, pinions operatively combined with the opposite ends of the said rollsupport, racks with which the pinions respectively gear, means to permit the pinions, in the starting position of the roll, to approach more closely to the starting ends of the racks in proportion aS the wound supply diminishes in diameter, and means defining a fixed limit for the tTiLVQllIlg movement of the roll during the paying-out revolution of the roll.

14. Adispensing or serving apparatusfor a roll and racks with which said pinions are geared to roduce traveling movement of traveling movement of the roll through the revolution of the roll produced by pulling the end of the material off from the same.

'anda rocker connecting with both of the said ends and compelling them to move uniformly and in fixed relation to each other.

17. A dispensing or serving apparatus for material wound in roll-form, having pinions oppositely combined with opposite ends of a roll and racks with which said pinions are geared to produce traveling movement of the roll oncurrently with paying-out revolution of the latter, and a rocker connecting with both of the said ends and compelling them to move uniformly and in fixed relation to each other.

18. A dispensing or serving apparatus for material wound in roll-form, having means for producing traveling movement of the 3 roll through the revolution of the roll produced by pulling the end of the material off from the same, and opposite arms operatively engaging with opposite ends of the roll and themselves operatively connected together so as to move in unison.

19. A dispensing or serving apparatus for material wound in roll-form, having gearing by which traveling movement of the roll is produced concurrently with paying-out revolution of the latter, and opposite arms operatively engagin with opposite ends of the roll and them'se ves operatively connected together so as to move in unison.

20. A dispensing or serving apparatus for material wound in roll-form, having a-rollsupport which is permitted unwinding revolution under a pull upon the free end of the wound material, said roll-support adapted for engagement with the roll by an endwise screwing-on movement to a stop-limit by relative turning in the direction of the unwinding produced by the said pull.

upon the free end of thewound material, 1

said roll-sup ort adapted for engagement with the rol by an 'endwise screwing-on movement to a stop-limit-by relative turning in the direction of the unwinding produced by the said pull.

- 22. A dispensing or serving apparatus for material wound in roll-form, comprising a hinged roll-support adapted to be openedout for the application of ansupply-roll there to, said roll-support having pinions operatively combined with its opposite ends, and fixed racks with which said pinions engage andalong which they are caused to travel by paylng-out revolution of the roll.

23. The combination. with a roll-support having a screw-thread, and means providingfor unwinding revolution thereof under a pull upon the free end of the wound material, of a wound roll having a central threaded portion which screws upon the screw-thread of the roll-support by relative turning in the direction of the unwinding produced by the said pull.

24. In a dispensing or serving apparatus,

a roll-support having abody-portionadapted to be moved bodily from its working alinement into positionto have a wound roll applied thereto, a longitudinally-movable head adapted to ooperate with said bodyportion when the latter is in its working alinement, one of said parts having an axial necked projection, and a locking member carried by the other of the-said parts, having an opening'to receive the said projection, normally held by spring-tension in an inclined position in which the parts are locked in working relations with the neck in said opening, and adapted to be sprung into a posltion in which the opening, permits the head of said projection to pass therethrough.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. GEORGE T. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

NATHAN B. DAY, CHAS. F. RANDALL. Y

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

